Henderson rejects apology, compo offer

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Bankrupt Christchurch property developer Dave Henderson has rejected an apology and a $43,000 compensation offer from police and is instead suing them over raids that targeted his business dealings.

Investigators searched two earthquake damaged offices linked to Henderson in Lichfield St in April 2011 amid allegations that he had breached the Companies Act by failing to hand over records to a liquidator.

The businessman wants those raids ruled unlawful because they were "defective on several grounds". He believes a warrant obtained by police contained wrong and misleading information, according to proceedings filed in the High Court at Christchurch.

In the application for the warrant, an investigator confuses him with an Auckland property developer with the same name.

Henderson also complains about the manner of the searches and the way seized material was dealt with by police. Among other things, he is seeking $50,000 in damages plus costs.

Canterbury district commander Superintendent Gary Knowles has acknowledged that aspects of the raids were "unsatisfactory" but not unlawful. This week he declined to comment further about the case.

Henderson would have been automatically discharged from bankruptcy in January but the Official Assignee and two creditors lodged an objection.